by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXI.
POLLY.
The lodge stood in a very lovely place, upon a slope of ground, whichrose still higher to where the colonel's grand house was situated. Therewas a porch before the door, built of rough logs of pines, covered withivy and honeysuckle, and with seats in it, where you could sit and lookout over a wide, rich plain, with little hills and dales in it,stretching far away towards the sky-line, where some distant mountainslay, so like to clouds, that you could scarcely tell which were soft andmisty vapours, and which were solid and everlasting hills. The Severn ranthrough the beautiful plain with so many windings, sometimes lying inshadow under deep banks, and sometimes glistening and sparkling in thesunlight, that it looked more like many little pools scattered about themeadows than one long, continuous river. Not very far away, as Raleighhad said, stood the Wrekin, purple in the evening haze, but by day soplain, that one could see the great rock on its summit, which in oldentimes served as an altar to the god of fire.
Susan was very busy, and had been very busy all day over twothings--preparing the house for the reception of her father, whom she hadnot seen for so many years, and in teaching her little girl, who was noweighteen months old, to say grand-pa. The one work was quite finished;everything was ready for old Oliver, and now she was waiting and watchingto see the colonel's spring cart arrive from the station with herhusband, who was gone to meet old Oliver and Tony. For Tony was not onany account to be parted from the old man--so said the colonel and hislady--but was to be employed about the garden, and as general errand boyfor the house, and to live at the lodge with old Oliver. Susan's eyeswere red, for as she had been busy about her work, she had several timescried bitterly over her lost little girl; but she had resolved withinherself not to shed a single tear after her father was come, lest sheshould spoil the gladness of his coming home to her. At last the cartcame in sight, and stopped, and Raleigh and Tony sprang out to helpOliver to get down, while Susan put down Polly in the porch, and ran tothrow her arms round her dear old father's neck.
He was very quiet, poor old Oliver. He had not spoken a word since heleft the station, but had gazed about him as they drove along thepleasant lane with almost a troubled look upon his tranquil face. Whenhis dim eyes caught the first glimpse of the Wrekin he lifted his hatfrom his white and trembling head, as if to greet it like some great anddear friend, after so many years of absence. Now he stood still at thewicket, leaning upon Susan's arm, and looking round him again with agentle yet sad smile. The air was so fresh, after the close streets ofLondon, that to him it seemed even full of scents of numberless flowers;and the sun was shining everywhere, upon the blossoms in the garden, andthe fine old elm-trees in the park, and the far-off hills. He graspedTony's hand in his, and bade him look well about him.
"If only my little love had had a bit of sunshine!" he said, with amournful and tender patience in his feeble voice.
But just then--scarcely had he finished speaking--there came a shrill,merry little scream behind them, so like Dolly's, that both old Oliverand Tony turned round quickly. It could not be the same, for this littlechild was even smaller than Dolly; but as she came pattering andtottering down the garden-walk towards them, they saw that she had thesame fair curly hair, and blue eyes, and rosy cheeks that Dolly had hadtwo years before. She ran and hid her face in her mother's gown; butSusan lifted her into her arms, and held her towards old Oliver.
"Say grand-pa, and kiss him, Polly," she said, coaxingly.
The little child held back shyly for a minute, for old Oliver's head wasshaking much more than usual now; but at length she put her two softlittle hands to his face, and held it between them, while she kissed him.
"Gan-pa!" she cried, crowing and chuckling with delight.
They went indoors to the pleasant parlour, where old Oliver's arm-chairwas set ready for him by the side of the fire, for Susan had kindled afire, saying that he would feel the fresh air blowing from the Wrekin;and Polly sat first on his knee, and then upon Tony's, who could not keephis eyes from following all her movements. But still it was not their ownDolly who had made the old house in the close alley in London so happyand so merry for them. She was gone home to the Father's house, and waswatching for them there. Tony might be a long time before he joined her,but for old Oliver the parting would be but short. As he sat in theevening dusk, very peacefully and contentedly, while Susan sang Polly tosleep in the kitchen, Tony heard him say half aloud, as his custom was,"Yet a little, and I will come again, and receive you unto myself, thatwhere I am ye may be also. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"
